1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to polymeric concentrates for use as a drift control additive to water or aqueous mixtures designed for application to vegetation or the earth by aerial or ground discharge or spraying, such as the discharge of fire retardants used to fight forest fires, the spraying of agricultural chemicals from aircraft or from the ground, and the spraying of aqueous preparations to suppress the formation of dust.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When water or aqueous mixtures of fire retardants are discharged from aircraft at high altitudes, the aqueous material tends to form a mist, which drifts away from the intended target area, due to the shearing forces of the wind and air currents. Similarly, when aqueous mixtures of agricultural chemicals are sprayed onto crops or land, many of the particles forming the spray are broken up into a mist, which tends to to drift away from the intended target. The presence of thickening agents in aerially applied materials has increased the particle size of the mist, but not sufficiently to prevent substantial drifting. This drifting problem results in waste and in potentially dangerous situations if the aqueous discharge or spray should drift into residential areas, water reservoirs, or highway traffic.